This honey roasted carrots and parsnips recipe is super simple and makes the most beautiful side dish. This dish can be served with just about anything and on any occasion–whether you’re entertaining guests or looking for a vegetable to add to your weeknight dinner.
As a dietitian and recipe creator, I am a firm believer that vegetables should be prepared to be flavorful and delicious, not bland and boring–and these carrots and parsnips are anything but bland and boring!
By roasting them until they’re perfectly tender in honey and olive oil, they result in this slightly sweet and delicious, caramelized flavor. So good that even the vegetable-shy ones will enjoy.
What You’ll Need
Carrots: Carrots are the visual star-of-the-show in this dish. Try to find a bag of whole carrots that seem to be similar in size to each other. This will help them to cook evenly.
Parsnips: Parsnips are just meant to be paired with carrots. They’re slightly sweeter and earthier with just a hint of a spicy bite to them. Again, try to find parsnips that are all similar in size to each other and to the carrots for the most even cooking.
Honey: Especially for this recipe, if you can find raw, local honey from a farmer’s market or grocery store, I’d definitely recommend using it. I think it tastes so much better. My honey comes from Reeder Bees apiary, which is simply the best (although I may be a little biased).
Olive oil: Using a classic olive oil works best for this recipe. It adds just enough flavor, but not overpoweringly so, like an extra virgin olive oil would. I always recommend baking and cooking with classic olive oil and saving the extra virgin for salad dressings and dipping bread.
Spices: This recipe uses three simple seasonings: salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The nutmeg complements the sweetness of the honey and parsnips.
How to Make Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
- Prepare the vegetables. You’ll want to wash the carrots and parsnips well, then dry them with paper towels. Next, peel and trim the ends off. I like to keep them long and slice them into quarters, but you could also cut them into smaller, bite size pieces if you prefer.
- Coat with olive oil, honey, and spices. Once the carrots and parsnips are washed, peeled, and cut, you can arrange them on a baking sheet. Then, you’ll coat with the olive oil and spices and toss them. Finally, you’ll drizzle the honey over top.
- Roast for 30-35 minutes. These carrots and parsnips will bake in a 400˚F oven for about a half hour. Test them periodically with a fork to see whether they are tender and ready to come out. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the size and shape of the vegetables.
Notes & Tips
Substitutions & Additions
- If parsnips aren’t your thing, feel free to omit them and replace with another pound of carrots.
- If you’re looking for even more color, try adding beets to the sheet pan before roasting. Remember to chop them so that they are similar in thickness to the carrots and parsnips.
- To really dress up this dish, try sprinkling with goat cheese and chopped walnuts just before serving.
- Honey can be substituted for pure maple syrup if desired. This would give a slightly different, but also deliciously sweet flavor to the vegetables.
- Hot honey is super popular right now–for a spicy take on this recipe, try roasting the carrots and parsnips in hot honey.
What to Pair with Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
- This vegetable side dish pairs well with pretty much anything. Simply add a protein and a carb of your choice for a balanced meal. Try it with ham or a roast and cheesy potatoes or grilled meat and homemade mac and cheese, like this Kimchi Mac and Cheese.
- These carrots and parsnips also go well with sandwiches, pasta, and casseroles. Try them alongside these Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwiches or Feta Gnocchi.
Storage & Reheating
You can store these carrots and parsnips in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. To reheat, simply toss to coat the vegetables evenly in the olive oil and honey that settled to the bottom of the container, then heat in the microwave until warmed through.
Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Ingredients
- 1 lb whole carrots
- 1 lb parsnips
- ¼ cup honey
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400˚F.
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Wash, peel, and trim the ends off of the carrots and parsnips. Then slice them (the long way) into either two or four sections, depending on the size. You’ll want to make them all similar in thickness so that they will cook evenly.
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Spread them on a baking sheet and coat with olive oil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well with your hands to coat evenly.
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Drizzle the honey evenly overtop the pan of carrots and parsnips.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes or until fork tender.
